Apparatus for round bar scarfing



y 1966 l. P. THOMPSON ETAL 3,249,349

APPARATUS FOR ROUND BAR SCARFING 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Feb. 4,1958 n NNW Rmw m OMWM TO mm J D WRME L WWA y 1966 P. THOMPSON ETAL3,249,349

APPARATUS FOR ROUND BAR SCARFING Original F iled Feb. 4, 1958 4 t 5 t 2as s 38 5'6 R 40 J I 4 I M 3s Z0 Z8 40 INVENTORS IVAN P. THOMPSONWILLIAM C.WEIDNER Z6fiy///// I BYALFREDJ.MILLER 0 34 ATTORNEY y 1966 1.P. THOMPSON ETAL. 3,249,349

APPARATUS FOR ROUND BAR SGARFING Original Filed Feb. 4, 1958 LPOWDERINVENTORS w a IVAN P.THOMPSO 1111: $1 YL FZ'QJQYEL'ZR I BY mm "W I y 3,1966 l. P. THOMPSON ETAL 3,249,349

APPARATUS FOR ROUND BAR SCARFING 4 Sh t n t 4 Original Filed Feb. 4,195a ee 5 s as INVENTORS IVAN THOMPSON W/L LIAM C. WE/DNER ALFRED JMILLER ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,249,349 APPARATUS FOR ROUND BARSCARFING Ivan P. Thompson, Hillside, William C. Wei'dner, Summit, andAlfred J. Miller, Westfield, N.J., assignors to Union CarbideCorporation, a corporation of New York Continuation of application Ser.No. 35,839, June 13, 1960, which is a continuation of application Ser.No. 713,201, Feb. 4, 1958. This application Oct. 31, 1962, Ser. No.236,183

2 Claims. (Cl. 266-23) This application is a continuation of applicationSerial No. 35,839, now abandoned, which was in turn a continuation ofparent application Serial No. 713,201, filed February 4, 1958 and nowabandoned.

This invention relates to round bar scarfing, and more particularly tomethod and apparatus for thermochemically removing metal from thesurface of metal bars having cross sections of curved contours, andconstitutes an improvement on the inventions disclosed in Smith PatentNo. 2,472,960 and Thompson et al. Patent No. 2,745,475.

In the scarfing of rectangular billets, the billet is surrounded by fourscarfing heads which are adjustably or yieldably mounted to take care ofdifferent sizes of billet or of cambers or hooks on the billet passingtherethrough. The relative movement of the flat heads is permitted bythe corners of the billet. This expedient is not feasible with roundbars, because relatively movable heads or separable segments would causeridges therebetween in the surface of a round workpiece which has nocorners.

It is therefore an-object of the present invention to center and guidethe round bar into and through a conically slotted desurfacing head.Other objects are to introduce adjuvant powder through the preheatflames into the reaction zone on a round bar for quick starting or forscarfing refractory metal round bars.

Otherobjects are to provide method and apparatus for scarfing round barsrapidly in one operation, with an improved finish, at less cost, withuniform removal of metal even when the bar is out of round or has slighthooks or cambers, and which can be fitted directly into the productionline.

According to the present invention, round bars are scarfed bydischarging from a conically slotted scarfing head a conical stream ofoxidizing gas in a zone extending around the round workpiece,discharging an annular row of preheat flames concentric with said streamagainst said zone, and discharging an annular row of jets of gas borneadjuvant powder concentric with said stream and preheat flames againstsaid preheated zone.

The scarfing head has conical rings forming a conical oxidizing gasslot, and a separate orifice ring for supplying oxidizing gas to theentrance end of said slot.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a scarfing machine according to, and forcarrying out the method of, the present invention;

F FIG. 2 is a detail of the centering guides shown in FIG. 3 is asection taken along the lines 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an axial section through the scarfing head shown in FIG. 1 andFIGQS is a sectional view taken along the lines 4-4 of FIG. 1,illustrating one form of locking means which could be employed withsuccess according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the scarfing machine has a frame comprising acarriage C with two side columns L bridged by a cross beam K. A floatpanel F is free to move radially with respect to an oncoming round metalbar 3248,34 Patented May 3, 1966 in a plane transverse to the bar andwithin the confines of this frame. A conical slot round bar scarfinghead H is rigidly mounted in the mid-portion of the panel F to move inunison therewith.

The float panel F is guided vertically by rollers longitudinallyslidably journaled on axles secured to the panel, and the rollers engageslots 12 in the columns L. The float panel F is counterbalanced byrocker arms 14 pivoted on the carriage C and connected to a floatcylinder 15.

For automatically precentering the float member with respect to atheoretical center line determined by the height and center line of theroll table, the float panel F and attached scarfing head H areprecentered by four centering cylinders 18 attached one each to thecarriage, cross beam K and the two side columns L. These centeringcylinders are actuated by a switch attached to the roll table.

When the oncoming round bar to be scarfed reaches the front pinch rollon the roll table, it trips the switch and the four centering cylinders18 move into contact with the four sides of the float member F and causeit to move radially into a predetermined theoretically centered positionwith respect to the next approaching bar.

Pivoted on the float panel F above the center of the scarfing head H area pair of segmentally separable centering arms 20 and 22 which areactuated by air cylinders 24. Centering guides 26 and 28 are mounted atintermediate portions of these arms for receiving the round bar R, andbumper plates 30 and 32 at the ends of the arms for engaging a stop 34.

As shown in FIG. 2, the centering guides 26 and 28 are provided withguide skids 36 as shown in FIG. 3, which are pivoted as at 38 andadjustable by screws 40, for selective sizing according to the diameterof the bar to be scarfed so as to ensure the proper fit between the barand the centering device as such device circumferentially engages thebar.

As shown in FIG. 4, the desurfacing head H comprises an inner conicalring 44 secured to an oxygen manifold 52 and a concentric outer ring 45spaced therefrom and secured to an oxygen manifold mounting plate 48 toprovide a conical slot 43 between these conical rings adapted todischarge a conical stream of oxidizing gas in a zone extending aroundthe round workpiece R. The rings 44 and 45 are respectively providedwith an annu lar row of preheat orifices 46 and 47 concentric with theoxidizing gas slot 43.

For centering the scarfing head H around the round bar R after the barhas entered the head, a plurality of pivoted riding skids 55 are spacedaround the rear of the head. These skids are swung into position by airoperated spring return diaphragm chambers 56. The pivoted movement islimited by a follower button 57 on each skid which stops against a cam58. A series of such cams for different bar sizes for each skid ismounted on a movable ring 59.

Before the scarfing operation is started, the movable ring 59 isadjusted to bring the proper cam for the bar size to be scarfed beneaththe follower button 57 of the respective skids, and the ring 59 clampedin place. When the scarfing operation is begun, the skids 55 are held ina retracted position until the front scarfed surface of the bar passesunder the contact surfaces of the skids. Air pressure is then introducedinto the diaphragm chambers and the skids are moved into position aroundthe bar to guide the remaining length of the bar.

Before the beginning of the scarfing operation, the air pressure on thefloat cylinder 15 is adjusted so that the float panel F is in a freefloating condition, and the centering arms 20 and 22 are in the closedposition for the guides 26 and 28, and skids 36 thereof to receive theoncoming round metal bar to be scarfed. When the' round bar R reachesthe front pinch roll on the roll table, it contacts a remote controlswitch which actuates the four centering cylinders 18 on'the machineframe, which precenter the float member with respect to the theoreticalcenter line of the approaching bar.

The bar continues down the roll table and contacts the centering guideskids 36. The lead angle on the forward face of these skids 36facilitates the entry of the round bar R into the opening in thecentering guides 26 and 28. The centering cylinders 18 having beenreleased, as the bar contacts the lead angle and slides along the skids,should the bar be slightly off center with respect to the floatmember F,the bar forces the float member F to reorient itself with respect to thebar. Thus, the scarfing head H which is attached to the float member Fdirectly in line with the centering guides 26 and 28, is preciselycentered with respect to the bar.

The bar continues its progress through the centering guide 26-28 untilit is in position for preheating. The float panel locking cylinder means27 then locks the float panel F in position, and the segmentallyseparable centering arms 20 and 22 are retracted. FIGURE illustrates oneform of apparatus which could be used as a means for locking the floatpanel F during the preheating step and for unlocking the panel F afterthe metal bar has entered the scarfing head H and has engaged the ridingskids associated therewith. It is to be understood that the FIG. 5apparatus is only exemplary of one of many known means for locking afloating panel in position. As shown therein, looking cylinder means 27,which is rigidly mounted to cross beam K, has the end surface of itspiston 29 knurled. When the locking cylinder is energized, the knurledend of piston 29 is forcibly pressed against the contact plate 31fastened to-float panel F, which is thereby prevented from floating inany direction. The scarfing operation starts and as the front end of theround bar R passes through the conically slotted nozzle, it contacts thenozzle riding skids 55 which are then automatically contracted aroundthe bar R.

. The float panel F is then unlocked by retracting the piston 29 intothe cylinder 27 and the riding skids engage the bar and keep thescarfing nozzle unit aligned with the bar during the remainder of thescarfing operation. Thus, the float panel F is free to move in responseto any camber of the bar being scarfed. The scarfing operation thencontinues to the end of the bar. When the entire bar has been scarfed,the scarfing unit skids are automatically 4 retracted by the diaphragmchambers 56 and the centering guide arms 20 and 22 are moved to closedposition by the cylinders 24, in which position the arms 20 and 22remain between scarfing operations to protect the conical slot scarfinghead from accidental damage. The machine is then ready to receive thenext bar to be scarfed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine for receiving and scarfing oncoming round metal bar, aframe; a floating panel fioatably mounted in said frame for radialmovement with respect to the oncoming round metal bar in a planetransverse to the bar and within the confines of same frame; a scarfinghead rigidly mounted in said floating panel, said scarfing head having aplurality of skids associated therewith for circumferentially engagingthe round bar during the scarfing operation; segmentally separablecentering means mounted upon said panel in front of said scarfing head,said centering means having a plurality of skids for circumferentiallyengaging the oncoming round bar and for centering said floating paneland said scarfing head with respect to the round bar; and means forlocking said panel in said frame after said scarfing head has beencentered with respect to the round bar and for unlocking said panel fromsaid frame after the bar has entered said scarfing head and has engagedthe skids associated therewith.

2. In a machine for receiving and scarfing round bar as claimed in claim1, remote control precentering means mounted upon said frame andengaging said floating panel for moving said panel and scarfing headradially in said plane transverse to the oncoming bar, for-precenteringsaid panel and scarfing head with respect to the oncoming round bar.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,221,788 11/1940Doyle 26623 2,323,977 7/ 1943 Chelborg et al. 266-23 2,509,698 5/1950Rudisell 26623 2,742,960 4/1956 Smith l489.5 2,745,475 5/1956 Thompsonet al. 15827.4

FOREIGN PATENTS 625,788 7/1949 Great Britain.

WHITMORE A. WILTZ, Primary Examiner.

DELBERT E. GANTZ, MORRIS O. WOLK,

Examiners.

1. IN A MACHINE FOR RECEIVING AND SCARFING ONCOMING ROUND METAL BAR, AFRAME; A FLOATING PANEL FLOATABLY MOUNTED IN SAID FRAME FOR RADIALMOVEMENT WITH RESPECT TO THE ONCOMING ROUND METAL BAR IN A PLANETRANSVERSE TO THE BAR AND WITHIN THE CONFINES OF SAME FRAME; A SCARFINGHEAD RIGIDLY MOUNTED IN SAID FLOATING PANEL, SAID SCARFING HEAD HAVING APLURALITY OF SKIDS ASSOCIATED THEREWITH FOR CIRCUMFERENTIALLY ENGAGINGTHE ROUND BAR DURING THE SCARFING OPERATION; SEGMENTALLY SEPARABLECENTERING MEANS MOUNTED UPON SAID PANEL IN FRONT OF SAID SCARFING HEAD,SAID CENTERING MEANS HAVING A PLURALITY OF SKIDS FOR CIRCUMFERENTIALLYENGAGING THE ONCOMING ROUND BAR AND FOR CENTERING SAID FLOATING PANELAND SAID SCARFING HEAD WITH RESPECT TO THE ROUND BAR; AND MEANS FORLOCKING SAID PANEL IN SAID FRAME AFTER SAID SCARFING HEAD HAS BEENCENTERED WITH RESPECT TO THE ROUND BAR AND FOR UNLOCKING SAID PANEL FROMSAID FRAME AFTER THE BAR HAS ENTERED SAID SCARFING HEAD AND HAS ENGAGEDTHE SKIDS ASSOCIATED THEREWITH.